Conversations wGrace-Family Matters-a McRoll in the REAL World story
by Mari217
Summary: Grace and Angie discuss family


_Sammy and Ilna - la famiglia always. Love you both!_

 _REALMcRollers - Nonna hugs to all. You are amazing and every word of support endears you a little bit more to our hearts._

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 **Conversations with Grace: Family**

" _The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." » Henry Ward Beecher_

 **Sunday afternoon 1:00**

"Everything you need is right here," Catherine said as she opened the cabinet. "If you don't see something, call or text us. We'll be about two hours, okay?" She passed a wide awake and smiling baby into Grace's outstretched arms.

"No problem, Auntie Cath, we got this." She turned the baby to face her parents. "Right, Angie?"

"If you'd rather do something with your friends before the party later …" Steve glanced towards his wife. "I can stay home."

"Uncle Steve!" she fussed and smiled at Catherine. "Don't be silly, you guys go have lunch with Carrie and John and _your_ friends. How often do you get to see the guys from the Academy you're meeting?" She waved the baby's hand. "She's even saying, 'Bye, bye, Daddy have fun!'"

"Alright I'm going." He kissed first the baby then his niece. "Angie, have fun with your cousin, okay?"

Catherine one-arm hugged Grace and kissed Angie's head. "She'll eat in about an hour and a half, and you can read to her or sing or …" she took a breath, "whatever you'd like because you've done this with Charles when you were like nine, so I'm shutting up." She laughed lightly.

"Have fun," Grace repeated and with Cammie watching from her bolster bed, placed the baby on the play mat for a few minutes of tummy time.

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 **2:45 p.m.**

Grace put the empty bottle on the changing table and adjusted the freshly fed and burped baby in her arms as she got comfortable in the rocking chair. "You know," she said as she ran a finger over the baby's cheek and subconsciously smiled when she did. "We could read a book, but I was thinking we should have a conversation. What do you think, Cammie?" She looked at the dog who was resting contentedly on the rug a few feet away. "See, Cammie agrees. Let's talk."

When her little cousin smiled up at her she giggled. "I know, I'm being silly, right? But I'm gonna tell you all kinds of stuff about our family. Today, how about we start with how we're cousins? We're a different kind of cousins than Uncle Chin and Auntie Kono are to each other. Their parents are siblings. But there're all kinds of siblings. And families. Nonna always says that. That means we're cousins because our dads are like brothers.

I met your daddy when I was little. I was eight and I lived with my mom and stepdad then. I love my mom and Stan's a good guy, but I always wanted to live with Danno. When I moved here from New Jersey, Danno quit his job and moved here. It's reeeeeealy far, too." She dragged the word out, tapped the baby's nose and Angie smiled.

Bending to kiss her soft hair, she spoke in exaggerated tones, and the little one kicked her legs and watched Grace's face as she spoke.

"Your daddy is very brave and tough and he was a SEAL so people get scared of him." Her head tilted with the memory. "You know, I never understood why 'til I was older. They were intimidated. But he's different with me, with all the kids. Danno says you're gonna totally have him wrapped." She laughed again. "But he's teasing. People think I have Danno wrapped, but he has plenty of rules. He's a great dad. And your daddy is already awesome. I know because he's a great uncle. Best ever."

Grace's eyes swept the cheerfully decorated purple and yellow nursery. The photos of herself and Danny with Angie, ones with all the Allens and the rest of their families adorned the far wall, all hung by herself and Catherine. A large photo of Angie with both parents was at the center. Catherine was holding her with a dazzling smile and Steve looked like the happiest man alive as they stood at their special spot on the beach with their daughter and Cammie.

"See how your daddy is smiling? Know who that special smile's for?" She adjusted the baby's onesie and nodded at the cooing noise Angie made. "Yep, right the first time. He always smiles like that at your mommy. That's because he really _really_ loves her. Your Uncle Danno says they're a perfectly matched set and they totally are. They're the most romantic couple ever. They had _such_ beautiful wedding - oh Angie, wait till you're old enough, I'll show you all the pictures and the videos. I got to be a co-maid of honor with your Aunt Carrie. Nobody treated me like a kid, either."

Grace touched her hand and Angie took hold of her little finger. "Pinky swear, promise, I'll never treat you like a silly little kid. I'll treat you just like your mommy and daddy treat me, like I'm not just a kid and my opinion really matters. I'll even take you bra shopping someday…I won't tell Uncle Steve that for a few years though … he's gonna be like Danno when it comes to you growing up.

"He's going to be crazy worried about you having boy girl parties and dating. Danno will tell him it's totally okay to scare all the boys, too. He'll probably offer to help him."

She shifted gently and resettled the baby into a more prone position as Angie dozed. "I've got your back, though. I'll soften them up for you. By the time you're my age I'll be older than Danno was when I was born." She laughed lightly. "Wait till I remind him of that. He's just as silly about me going on a first date as your daddy will be about you. Your mom will talk to Uncle Steve, though. Because she's awesome like that."

Grace lowered her voice as Angie became less animated and grew sleepy, snuggling into her embrace.

"There's another reason he and Danno are brothers. They have each other's backs all the time. Their work is really important and it can be dangerous, but they're so good at it, they keep the island safe. But I don't want you to worry too much about that, I'll explain it all and you can call me anytime, even if I'm, like, at college or even the Naval Academy and it's the middle of the night, okay? Because I get it." She kissed the baby's forehead. "I always will."

She checked the time. "Your mommy and daddy will be home soon, and he only called twice." She shook her head. "Just like Danno. They tease each other all the time but they have all this stuff in common. You'll see. And Uncle Steve's going to be the most amazing daddy. He already is." She stood gently and walked into the master bedroom to place Angie down for a nap. Even being put into a light sleepsack didn't cause her to stir and Grace sat on the side of the bed and continued to speak softly while rubbing her back.

"He decided on your nickname. Angie." A smile played on her lips. "Like Gracie. Nobody ever called me that before Uncle Steve did and he's still the only one who does."

* * *

Steve and Catherine entered the house to a greeting by Cammie. He reset the alarm while she took the dog for a quick potty run.

Smiling at the additional baby monitor Grace had placed on the coffee table, he picked it up and headed upstairs. He hadn't reached the second step when it came to life with Grace's voice.

"Isn't that sweet? In the hospital when they told us your name… I didn't get it for a minute. I was so excited to meet you and then he asked Danno to be your godfather which made me so happy I cried, so I was kinda focused on that. Then I realized… _Angie_. Like how he calls me _Gracie_ and Joan _Joanie_. It's adorable. Just like you're adorable. Uncle Steve says he hates when Auntie Cath calls him that but I won't tell him if you don't."

Steve smiled at his niece's soft laughter, until her next words stole his breath.

"He kinda had a messed up time when he was a kid and he still turned out to be the best uncle in the world. Not just to me, either. You can ask Joan and Cody and all the other kids. And he's such a great daddy, already, right? I know you think so."

Grace stopped for a second and Steve stood still, shaking his head in wonder. When she spoke again, he'd reached the hallway just outside the room.

"He loves you _so_ much, Angie. His whole face lights up when he talks about you. And this is totally not like Uncle Steve, because he's not what Danno calls a 'sharer' but he tells _everyone_ about you. Like EMTs and patrol officers and even the owner at the Bluefish Grill who congratulated him when we stopped there for dinner. He tells them all how beautiful and smart you are, just like your mommy. He's really handsome, too, but he's so happy you look like her. It's so romantic and sweet."

He watched as she adjusted the sleepsack to make sure Angie's feet were comfortable.

"Okay I'm gonna shush now 'cause you're almost asleep. So you take a nap and I'll be right here till mommy and daddy get home, okay? We're cousins, like our dads are brothers. And don't you ever worry about anything. I love you and I've got your back. Always."

Steve cleared his throat. If he didn't, he wouldn't have been able to speak around the lump that had formed there. Tapping on the doorframe he whispered, "Gracie?" to not startle the teen who was facing the baby.

Grace turned swiftly and smiled. "Uncle Steve, hi. She just fell asleep." She moved to hug him and noticed the monitor in his hand. Looking up at him, she pulled back to see his eyes. "Angie and I had a whole conversation about family." She indicated the sleeping baby with a gesture. "Guess you heard that last part, huh?"

He pulled the teen, who was just taller than his shoulder, into another hug. "I didn't mean to overhear, but …"

She tiptoed up to kiss his cheek before stepping back. "That's okay if you heard," she said with a tiny shrug. "It's totally true. You _are_ the best uncle and anyone can see you're a great dad."

In a voice far rougher than normal, he said, "Thank you, sweetheart. That means … thank you."

"Thank _you_. For being awesome and for my new cousin." She was grinning happily, not realizing the full impact her words had on the man who in his teenage years never again thought he'd have a family. Looking past him she added, "And you, too, Auntie Cath. I wouldn't have a baby cousin without you."

Catherine had stepped into the room and felt the emotion rolling off Steve in waves. She placed a hand on his back for a long moment before kissing Grace's cheek and stepping to the bassinette. She tucked her hair behind her ears and bent to touch her sleeping baby. "She was good?"

"She was super good like last time. Ate and burped and we talked about family stuff. She just fell asleep like five minutes ago. I totally mean it, I'll watch her anytime." She pulled out her phone and checked the time. "I'm gonna run and put my bathing suit on so I don't have to change at the water park."

"You're sure I can't drive you to the birthday party?" Catherine offered.

Grace was still smiling when she added, "No, thanks, I'm good. I'll text Linda now. We're picking Casey up at work and Grandma Josie is gonna drop us at Wet 'n' Wild and Danno will pick us up."

"Sounds like a plan," Catherine said as she glanced at Steve who was smiling broadly.

Steve's arm circled her waist when she stepped up to kiss his cheek. The love and thankfulness in his eyes as he watched their niece dash from the room before his gaze fell on their sleeping daughter warmed her heart.

 _End thanks for reading_

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